Kansas State University

Fall 2021 progress reports provide early insight on student success

Submitted by Jeannie Brown Leonard

K-State faculty are critical partners in supporting student success. Last spring many of you shared your course-based concerns about undergraduate, fourth- and fifth-year APDesign, and concurrent degree students via a Progress Report in SSC-Navigate. Collectively, you raised 3,696 alerts affecting 2,186 distinct students. Academic advisors responded to those alerts. They helped reconnect students to you and your class. Many received academic support and improved their confidence in succeeding.

In collaboration with the colleges, the university is continuing our campuswide Progress Report campaign this fall from Sept. 17-27. This initiative replaces the traditional midterm grade submission for freshmen.

Beginning Sept. 17, faculty teaching our target student population will receive an email with a direct link to the Progress Report section of SSC-Navigate (no separate login required). You or your GTA need to identify only students who are not performing well and who might benefit from outreach. The Progress Report asks, "Are you concerned about whether this student will be successful in your class?" Even if you have few graded assignments, answer "YES" to this question for any student who is not engaged. Next, choose an alert reason and, if appropriate, share observable details in the Comments box.

How will you know which students need to be identified via Progress Report alert? Use Canvas analytics or your direct observation to determine which students, if any, are not engaging with discussion boards, are struggling with technology, have non-COVID-related health problems, are missing assignments or not performing well on assignments, have not been able to secure course texts or other materials, have other life complications, or would benefit from meeting with you during office hours.

The alert reason choices appear below. Student Success will coordinate outreach to students by providing resources and directing students to meet with their academic advisors for alert reasons 1, 4 and 6. Alert reasons 3 and 6 will be directed to the Office of Student Life for attention. Alert reason 7 will generate an automatic email encouraging the student to meet with you during your office hours, ideally reinforcing your direct communication with a similar message. Student Financial Assistance will try to support students identified by alert reason 8 by identifying micro grants.

Alert

1. No class engagement
2. Unreliable technology tools/internet access
3. Health reasons (non-COVID)
4. Missing assignments
5. Poor performance on tests and assignments
6. Non-academic issues affecting performance
7. Recommend meeting with instructor during office hours
8. No access to course materials (Manhattan Campus only)

Faculty teaching students at the Salina campus should use the alert reasons that are labeled K-State Salina.

Your participation in these Progress Reports matters to student success. Please participate. Questions should be directed to your college dean's office or to Jeannie Brown Leonard, vice provost for student success, at brownleonard@k-state.edu. Email navigate@k-state.edu with questions about the SSC-Navigate Platform.